Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with an increased risk of stroke. Physical exercise has shown to increase IL-6 directly after exercise in untrained subjects. When fitness is increased in each subject then the peak IL-6 concentration after exercise decreases and so does the basal level of IL-6. It is not known whether stroke patients can increase physical activity level to a degree where chronic inflammation are decreased.

This study is designed to evaluate if physical exercise after stroke will increases insulin sensitivity and reduce low-grade chronic inflammation.

Stroke patients have been randomized to intervention with physical exercise or control in the ExStroke pilot trial and followed for 2 years. Using the study population from the ExStroke pilot trail blood samples will be obtained at the last control. Insulin sensitivity can be measured from fasting glucose and insulin using the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA). Interleukin-6, TNF-alfa and CRP is measured to estimate chronic inflammation.

IL-6 concentration is lower in the intervention group than control group.

TNF-alfa and IL-6 is positively associated.

IL-18 is associated to HOMA

Correlation between PASE and HOMA in the intervention group vs. controls

HOMA mean value in the 2 groups

Estimated Enrollment:

200

Study Start Date:

January 2006

Study Completion Date:

August 2007

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

40 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

participated in the ExStroke Pilot trail

Exclusion Criteria:

Diabetes Mellitus

Not able to give informed consent

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00376207